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Captain C.P. Krishnan Nair, Chairman of The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts, has been awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by CNBC Travel Awards 2009. The award recognises his contribution to the travel and tourism industry. Shrimati Kumari Selja, Minister for Tourism and State Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation, referred to Captain Nair as the “doyen of the industry” whilst presenting him with the award at a glittering ceremony held in The Grand Ballroom of The Leela Palace Kempinski Bangalore in July 2009. The evening was attended by more than a thousand guests including diplomats, bureaucrats and professionals from the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.
Receiving the award, Captain Nair commented: “India is fast emerging as a major travel and tourism player. The Incredible India campaign has been a driving force and CNBC is recognising the role that tourism plays in the economy. The Indian hospitality industry is experiencing a boom, with many international brands seeking entry opportunities in this market, and the industry is able to provide the additional hotel rooms needed to meet the demands of 10 million foreign tourists. The grant of infrastructure status to hotels, as is given to airports by the government, will give help boost investment in the sector, which provides employment to 40 million people and is worth US$100bn in foreign exchange.” On a more personal note, Captain Nair said that he was both honoured and delighted to win this prestigious recognition.
The CNBC Travel Awards is an annual event hosted by CNBC Awaaz to honour the best travel destinations and other ancillary services of the tourism industry. This award recognises and honours the best in class in a number of categories, including destinations, organisations, individuals and service providers. Results are based on an objective pan-India study conducted by India’s leading research firm, Synovate, across 12 cities with thousands of respondents voting for their choice of travel services and destinations.
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has established a global leadership position in the luxury hospitality industry by offering hotels in premier locations, elegant facilities and personalised service to the world’s most discerning travellers. It has an award-winning portfolio of properties including hotels in Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Kovalam Beach, Gurgaon and Udaipur. The Group has successfully pioneered The Club, or ‘hotel within a hotel’, concept at its resorts in Goa and Kerala.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
